Meg Ryan Reveals the Director Who Changed Her Career
Meg Ryan opens up about the director who made filming a joy, reflecting on their creative partnership and the lasting mark left on romantic comedies.
There’s something special about working with a director who makes the whole process feel effortless, like you’re just mucking about with a mate who gets you. Meg Ryan, a familiar face in Hollywood, has teamed up with plenty of big names over the years. Lately, she’s been having a crack at directing herself, with her latest effort being the 2023 rom-com What Happens Next?, where she starred alongside David Duchovny. Ryan’s approach behind the camera has clearly been shaped by the directors she’s worked with, and she’s not shy about naming the one who had the biggest impact on her.
Ryan’s worked with a fair few heavyweights—Oliver Stone, Tony Scott, Rob Reiner, Jane Campion, to name a few. But when it comes to the director who left the deepest impression, she singles out Nora Ephron. Their connection makes sense, especially considering their shared history with romantic comedies. Their first project together was back in 1989, when Ryan starred in When Harry Met Sally…, penned and produced by Ephron, though Reiner was the one calling the shots on set. That film’s often called one of the best rom-coms ever, thanks in large part to Ephron’s sharp, heartfelt script, which digs into the messiness of relationships and the endless debate about whether blokes and women can ever just be mates.
Rom-Coms and a Lasting Legacy
By the mid-90s, Ephron had moved into directing, and her most memorable work from that period was with Ryan and Tom Hanks. Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail became the gold standard for the genre in the ‘90s. Ryan brought warmth and relatability to her roles, but it was Ephron’s personal touch that made those films stand out. Her stories felt familiar, like she was holding up a mirror to our own lives—her characters were flawed, sometimes a bit of a handful, but always easy to root for. Ephron had a knack for showing that everyone deserves a shot at real, honest love, and she managed to get that across on screen as her characters stumbled through their own journeys.
Both films were a hit with punters and critics alike, and they’ve stuck around as classics. The way Ephron handled romance—never too sappy, always grounded—set a new bar for what a rom-com could be. Ryan was at the heart of it all, but she’s quick to give credit to the director who made it all possible.
On-Set Atmosphere and Creative Joy
In a chat with RogerEbert.com, Ryan spoke about what made working with Ephron so memorable. She said,
“She just had such joy in creating them, and she loved being there so much. Those days would end, and you wouldn’t want the day to end. You wouldn’t want the movie to end.”
Ryan reckons everyone on set felt the same way, not wanting the experience to wrap up. It was all about the vibe Ephron created—supportive, upbeat, and always encouraging.
Ryan went on,
“I’m pretty sure we all felt that way. We didn’t want it to be over. So it was about the environment and keeping it like that.”
She highlighted how Ephron managed to keep things light and positive, which made a real difference. Ryan recalled something Hugh Grant once said about rom-coms being like a balloon in a world full of pins, and she agreed, saying you want to keep the balloons floating.
“And Nora was great at that, keeping it pin-free.”